Hard day and blisters, but first day of epic walking challenge done

Manny Singh Kang completed the first stage of his 195-mile fundraising walk for Dementia UK between Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton and St James's Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne after arriving at Rushton in Staffordshire on Tuesday evening.

It was the first stage of a walk which will take the fundraiser across the Pennies to Huddersfield, then up north to Leeming Bar and Durham, before a walk across County Durham, Wearside and Tyneside onto the Tyne Bridge and onto St James's Park in time for the Newcastle United vs Wolves game on Saturday.

The walk has already raised more than £30,000 for Dementia UK, with donations continuing to come in to the Just Giving page as the walk continues.

The walk had started with his son Jeevan Kang at 4am on a bitterly cold morning in Wolverhampton and seen the pair walk through the Staffordshire countryside on a 44-mile (70 kilometre) trek to the north of Stoke-on-Trent.

The day had not been without difficulties, however, as Mr Singh Kang said he had seen Jeevan began to struggle on the canal path walk into Stoke.

He said: "We started out well the first day and while the weather was really cold, we were getting on really well and started on the canal walk towards Stoke, but then I saw Jeevan starting to limp.

"I took off his trainers and had a look and found he had several blisters on his toes, so we went looking for a chemist to get it looked at, clean up his feet and put some blister plasters on there, but we found that one of the blisters had burst and was really disgusting.

"At that point, I said it wasn't fair for him to have to go on with that injury, but I am so proud of him as he'd done 55 kilometres and had never done more than 10 miles in his life before that."

Mr Singh Kang said that it had been heartbreaking to leave his son behind, but said he knew that Jeevan would be getting his feet sorted and was aiming to be with his dad at the end, which he said was really important for him.

He said: "He's having his feet sorted today and even if it's for the last bit into Newcastle, it's important that he joins me as he's part of this whole process, training with me and we've got a really good partnership.

"I could see him slowing down and suffering and because we're on such a tight schedule and had to get to Rushton for 8pm, I had to carry on, but it was so heartbreaking having to leave him.

"Luckily, there was a doctors surgery, so he was able to sit in the waiting room for his mother to pick him up, so I know he was ok."

The second day has seen Mr Singh Kang head into Cheshire and onto the canal paths towards West Yorkshire, where he will walk over the Pennines and head into Huddersfield where he said he hopes to catch the start of the Wolves vs Brighton FA Cup game at 7.45pm.

He has received messages of support from friends such as Beverley Knight and Suzi Perry, who both took to social media to offer their support for the pair before the walk.

Suzi Perry said: "These two maniacs are walking all the way from Molineux to St James Park for the match in aid of Dementia UK and they are on their way now.

"What an adventure this is and for this amazing cause. Loads of love and luck Manny and Jeevan."

Beverley Knight said: "My friend Manny Singh Kang, legend of our Wolves terraces, is walking from Molineux to St James Park to raise much needed funds for Dementia UK.

"Please, if you can help him, help them."

He said the messages of support were very kind and helped him to keep going, as well as reminding him of what he was doing it for.

He said: "They've been unbelievable, some of the stories and personal messages people have been sending me.

"They tell me how proud it makes them to see me representing Wolverhampton, putting it on the map, and people have been talking about the walk nationally, plus I've had people tooting their car horns in support as they've gone past.

"I can't thank people enough because their support helps me to focus on the stories people have told me about their loved ones who live with dementia, so that keeps me going."

Jeevan Kang has also offered his thanks for the support given to him and sent a message of encouragement on social media to his dad.

He said: "Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. I was determined to complete this challenge and gutted that I can't carry on, sometimes the body has its limits and it wasn't meant to be.

"However, there are people and families out there who are suffering a lot worse which is the reason we both set out to do this challenge.

"The support and donations have been out of this world and I just want to thank everyone for their kind messages today. Time to rest and recover.

"Over to you Dad, go and smash it and do us proud."

To find out how Manny Singh Kang is getting on, go to twitter.com/pedalsingh

To make a donation to the walk, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/mkang